KOLKATA : Already pocketing the three-ODI series with two wins at Pune and Cuttack, India’s spearhead attacker Bhubaneswar Kumar today said they are egging now to script another victory when they take on England at Eden Gardens in day-night match here tomorrow.
” When there is no pressure at all, the side tends to do well because everyone tries to give the best for the country,” twenty-six-year-old speedster told a media conference. Though India had optional practice session on the eve of match, most of players did work out under sun in the morning session. After India, England held the ground for their turn even as tourists face a tough time as their opener Alex Hales was ruled out of the remainder of the India tour with an injured hand. The opener wounded his hand while trying to hold a catch of MS Dhoni on the deep mid-wicket fence during the 2nd ODI in Cuttack on Thursday. Bhubaneswar Kumar, who had very good season in last IPL, said his T20 games had helped much to restore his confidence after being recalled in the national side. ” It is very difficult to adjust the situation after being called to play for the national side. After first two-three overs bowling the confidence automatically restore for a bowler like he got and did bowl well in death period at Cuttuck.” Bhubaneswar Kumar said. ” Nowadays 350 runs is normal in ODI and for this pressure is not much for a bowler,” he added.
With the series already wrapped up by India, Virat Kohli leading the country in shorter version of cricket from Pune, would surely aim to make hat-trick of victory in ODI, especially after 4-0 triumphs in Tests against the visitors.
Superlative batting performances by India in both the first and second ODI has seen them score in excess of 350 on both occasions. England batting has also been doing well and they came within touching distance of India’s mammoth score of 381/6 in second ODI in Cuttack. Bowling, however, will be a concern for both teams. Both set of bowlers have been somewhat undisciplined in the previous two ODIs and will be looking for a better performance when the two teams face off against each other at the famed Eden Gardens. India: Virat Kohli (c), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Amit Mishra.
England: Eoin Morgan (c), Jason Roy, , Joe Root, Jos Buttler (wk), Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, David Willey, Adil Rashid, Jake Ball, Liam Dawson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Liam Plunkett. Match will start 1330 hours.
(AGENCIES)